“What do you want, Sasha? I’m one second away from calling security.”
“Fine.” She throws a hand in the air. “I’m pregnant.”
“Poor bastard,” slips from my lips and obviously louder than I meant.
Her glare turns hard, her lips forming a fine line as she turns a bright shade of red.
“Right now, I’d have to agree. You are a bastard.”
Her words take a minute to sink in, and I shake my head. “Are you implying I’m the father?”
“I’m not implying it. It’s a fact.”
“I fucked you months ago.”
She winces, her harsh façade slipping for a second then goes back in place. She reaches into her purse and gets up, coming face to face.
“Yes, as you so eloquently put it, you fucked me eight weeks ago. With the way biology works, I’m almost eleven weeks.” She waves the paper then shoves it in my chest before standing back.
I look down and see nothing except her information printed in the upper corner. “You’ve got to be shitting me. You give me a grainy picture and expect me to believe you’re carrying my child?”
“That’s not the only thing I expect.”
“Money? You want money?”
Her eyes grow wide, and I don’t move fast enough before her palm connects with my cheek. The sound ricochets around my office and happens right as Gail arrives at her desk. She has a horrified look, reaching for her phone. I jerk my head at her.
“How dare you insult me! I don’t want your Goddamn money. You’re lucky I’m giving you a shot at all. I don’t beg, Ren, ever! And these last few weeks, you’ve embarrassed the shit out of me.”
“I don’t see how, Sasha. We had a few nights together spread over months. I never led you on. I told you it was nothing. It was a mistake. All of it was a mistake.”
She takes a deep breath and cradles her stomach. “A mistake? Is that what you want me to tell your son or daughter one day? You referred to them as a mistake?”
I stumble back, letting the picture fall from my hand and grab the corner of my desk for support. My phone drops with a loud clang.
“This can’t be happening,” I say quietly, shock starting to set in.
“That’s what I thought, too, the first five pregnancy tests I took. Even when the doctor drew my blood, I was in denial. But it’s confirmed. I’m pregnant. And the baby is yours.”
It’s confirmed…
I’m pregnant…
The baby is yours…
The words roll around my head until my vision becomes spotty. I blink a few times, trying to find my wits and look back at her for any sign she’s lying.
“How do you know it’s mine?”
“Now you not only think I’m a gold digger but a fucking whore? Unlike you, I don’t sleep around. What we did actually meant something to me.”
“Jesus Christ.” I rub my free hand down my face. “This can’t be happening,” I repeat.
“It’s happening. So it’s time for you to man up. Like I said, I have some expectations.”
“Expectations?” My voice is weak and unguarded. I glance up in time to catch her triumphant grin.
“Yes, we’ll discuss them over dinner tomorrow night. You can pick me up at seven.”
I don’t really comprehend what she’s said for a few seconds, until it hits me. “Wait, do you…? Are you saying…? What…?” I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. Stumbling through my words is a surefire way to let her think she’s gotten the upper hand.
I clear my throat and stand straighter. “Do you think this changes things between us?”
“Hell yes, it changes things. I didn’t sign up for this, and I’m sure as hell not doing it alone.”
“I’m not having dinner with you.”
“You sure as fuck are, and that’s just the beginning. Dinners, dates, doctor’s appointments.”
“You think having a baby is going to change the way I feel about you?”
“Let’s put it this way. Either you take responsibility or I terminate the pregnancy. I’m not going to be the laughing stock of my peers, landing knocked up without a partner.”
I fist my palm tight, letting my nails dig into the skin as I bite my cheek, to make sure I am really standing here and not in some deranged nightmare.
“You’d abort your child because of your reputation in your firm?” I stare at her in disbelief.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Don’t act so self-righteous. You have no idea what it’s like.”
“Maybe I don’t, but let’s say you’re telling the truth and that is my baby. I have